Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick against Algeria on Wednesday to tie Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup goal record. But the tears he wiped away after the first goal weren’t about making history.
The 38-year-old Argentine star revealed after the 3-0 win that he had been going through personal hardship away from the pitch. Speaking to reporters, Messi said the emotion was “completely unrelated to the sport” and thanked his teammates and the delegation for supporting him through what he called “difficult, complicated days.”
Messi opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a curling strike from the edge of the box. As his teammates mobbed him in celebration, cameras caught him wiping tears on his shirt before play resumed. He added two more goals later in the match to secure the victory and move into a tie with Klose at 16 career World Cup goals — one ahead of Brazilian legend Ronaldo.
“Honestly, no,” Messi said when asked if the record mattered to him. “It’s an honor to be there next to Klose, Ronaldo is there too, but I don’t think it means anything. Mbappe is there, he scored two today. It’s a statistic and nothing more.”
Kylian Mbappe, now tied for fourth all-time with Gerd Muller at 14 goals, scored twice for France earlier that day against Senegal. The competition between the two stars for the top spot looms as a compelling subplot for the tournament.
Messi’s next chance to claim sole possession of the record comes Monday against Austria. Argentina then closes group play against Jordan. The match against Austria also marks an opportunity for Argentina to build momentum after a convincing opening performance.
For a player who has won the World Cup, multiple Ballon d’Ors and nearly every club honor imaginable, the tears offered a rare window into the human side of a living legend. His admission that the personal struggle eclipsed the sporting achievement only deepened the respect fans have for him.
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